The System
by Mr. The Monk
Summary: Ash has been crowned the "Pokemon Battling World Champion" after his success with each other the region's Pokemon Leagues. However, someone is after his position and power...someone who wants to use that power to change the world "for the better."
1. Spoils of Victory

**The System**

_Chapter 1_

"_And the winner of the Unova Conference bout against Champion Alder…is Ash Ketchum!"_

A deafening silence swept every corner of the sagely russet stadium.

All that could be heard was the cackling aftershocks of a certain Pikachu's Thunder attack that managed to prevail over the heatedly intense Overheat of Alder's Volcarona. It was as if the audience and all those who had seen this truly extraordinary event were quietly waiting for history to catalog this momentous occasion with pomp and circumstance. The silence spoke in varying degrees of volume until finally the footsteps of Unova's champion rang clear throughout the astonishment of the stadium's presence.

"_It's finally over…we can now…as champions…have systematic order within the Pokémon League!" Alder tiredly mused to himself. "Heh…I was getting a little too old to be the strongest "legal" champion anyways."_

The audience began to whisper amongst themselves as Alder's footsteps were leading him to the center of the nearly-decimated battlefield. A weary, yet cautious Pikachu eyed Alder's every deliberate movement as he slowly made his way past crumbled rocks, scorched-black pillars, and the many deepened potholes that plagued the field. Time seemed to have slowed indefinitely as Alder took his final step onto the very center-piece of the battlefield. The aged champion glanced at the captivated spectators and suddenly threw his hands up into the dusty air with a triumphant enthusiasm.

"What are you all waiting for! Is this any way to show adulation for our newly proclaimed champion?" Alder commandingly bellowed to the audience. Alder's declaration fueled the fire that was slowly emerging from the shallow depths of their hearts.

The silence that commanded the stadium came crashing down as a boisterous applause echoed within the confines of the stadium seats. Amidst the excitement that resulted from the concluding blow of the match, the cheering began to rumble the very foundation which laid the stadium's halls and battlefield. This recent turn of events sparked within the spectators a tower of adrenaline which few could not take without leaping out of their seats and down to the ruined field. The cheering grew in volume as they all began to practically scream out the name of the victor against Alder.

"_Ash Ketchum!"_

"_Ash Ketchum!"_

"_ASH KETCHUM!"_

Eventually, crowd control was forced to intervene in the ever-so-obvious agenda of the action-driven audience. The crowd slowly converged from the stadium seats onto the shattered battlefield that Ash and Alder fought their highly-enticing match, despite the best attempts from the officers who formed the crowd control. Even the "higher-ups" of crowd control could not anticipate that such a match between two skilled trainers could be as entertaining to watch as that it would influence the emotions of the audience to such a high extent. As the crowd proceeded to muscle their way past the guards, a dazed teenage trainer was lost within realms of his thoughts.

"_I…won? I…beat Alder? I'm…a Pokémon Champion? I still can't believe that I…"_

"Ash? Ash! C'mon, snap out of it!"

Ash felt himself being nearly dragged out of his pinnacle of position, the very murky brown column where he stood, giving orders to his powerful and loyal allies to whom they granted him victory in the most splendid of fashions. The victorious adolescent vigorously shook his head in order to clear whatever haze that remained as a byproduct of his immersing thoughts. It turned out that the some guards associated with crowd control deemed that the crowd was too overpowering at the moment and that it would be safer to just move the target from any unfortunate possible scenarios.

"_Don't worry about your Pokémon! We've already secured them for you!"_

While Ash heard these words, he was certainly not listening to them. Since the guards insisted on dragging him through various halls and not let him walk on his own, he decidedly dived back into the deep inner-workings of his young subconscious. In this dark realm, he was aware of his physical surroundings, yet continued to unveil the stark truth that was become clearer within his thoughts.

"_I beat Alder…I am finally the Pokémon battling champion!"_

As Ash was safely escorted to the Hall of Fame, the crowd despondently returned to their formerly-abandoned seats in order to depart from the flashy stadium dome in an orderly fashion. As they left, the commentator of the match, who was still in infused with a large quantum of energy, hurriedly recapped the events that unfolded before his and everyone else's eyes.

"_You've seen it with your own eyes, folks!" The commentator seen on television set confirmed excitedly. "Unova's Alder has given way to the birth of a new champion! The champion of the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and now Unova region has won it all! His battling strategies, along with the strength and durability of his Pokémon, are unsurpassed on the battling field! He is truly the best, like no one in the history of the Pokémon League ever was! The spectacular skirmish between Alder and Ash is one for the history books, ladies and gentlemen! Alder's sheer force of Pokémon power was quick to overwhelm our young ward during the beginning of the bout. But after the intermission, Ash came back to wow us with renewed __**dynamism**__! His Pokémon wore down the aging champion's team until it was neck and neck with Ash's trademark Pikachu and Alder's well-renowned Volcarona. After an intense exchange between the Mouse Pokémon's Thunderbolt and the Sun Pokémon's Bug Buzz, the two drained trainers went for broke and unleashed their final moves to determine the winner of this conference. Pikachu brought forth an __**awe-striking Thunder**__ attack while Volcarona retaliated with a __**devastating Overheat**__ attack. The result? I think you people out there know as well as I do! Ash's Pikachu sealed the deal and caused Ash to claim victory over yet __**another **__championship title match!" This unstoppable trainer is also the youngest to secure victory over all of the major regions so far discovered and developed! This young ward will go far, farther than any trainer is bound to go! We have high expectations of you, Mr. Ketchum. Or rather, CHAMPION ASH KETCHUM! I'm Steve Johnson, Pokémon news reporter and commentator. That's all for now!"_

* * *

><p>"A month! Cynthia, you surely can't be serious! I've got friends and family that I'm literally dying to see! See, I'm <em>dying<em>…" Ash soberly lamented to the champion of the Sinnoh region. To make his point expressed clearly, he crawled up into a pathetic-looking fetal position and began to have a fake coughing attack like that of an elderly man on life support. The versatile champion Cynthia simply snorted and shook her head at the ridiculous hoops Ash was willing to jump through in order to prove a point.

"_This is __**exactly**__ why I didn't want to be the one to tell him this. I knew he would freak…" Cynthia's thoughts echoed. _

"C'mon Ash, as the current champion of all the major regions, it's rather shameful that you deem it necessary to have a fit in order to attempt to get what you want." The female champion parentally scolded. Honestly, was it so difficult to go a month without contact with the outside world! It was within his best interest anyways; the paparazzi and news reporters would be all over him the very minute that he stepped outside of the doors of the hotel he was currently residing in, _The Elites_.

"Cynthia, my Pokémon and I worked extremely hard to beat the champions of every region, _including yours, might I add_." Ash bitterly pleaded while regaining his former composure. Upon sight of Ash confronting Cynthia, Pikachu hopped unto the trainer's left shoulder and faithfully plastered on its best "please?" face for the stern champion of Sinnoh. Ash made a mental note to thank his electric partner later as he continued, "Isn't this more as a punishment to lock me up in my master's suite when all I want to do at the moment is see the people to whom I owe my current success?"

"Ash, rules are rules. If we went about making exceptions for you, we would have to make them for everybody." Cynthia explained, continuing her no-nonsense parental tone. "Besides, you'll have a video phone to which you may use to your heart's content. However, you may not leave this room unless the building is burning down or otherwise similar situations occur. All the champions had to have gone through this process and none of them had any complaints whatsoever. You seem to be the only one with this big of an issue with something so trivial. Honestly Ash, it's just a month!"

"Then answer this, _Cynthia_. Why do I have to go through this now? Why haven't I been locked up in a hotel when I defeated the all of the other champions?" the young champion hotly retorted. As like most of Ash's Pokémon, Pikachu always supported Ash and expressed Ash's determined attitude by generating electricity to dangerously high intensities within its cheeks; the _cackles _and _zztz's_ of Pikachu's cheek pouches caused Cynthia to back up with a hint of nervousness, but firmly stood her ground of the matter.

"No, Ketchum! I don't need to answer any of your silly questions! Video Phone or nothing. Now pardon me, but I am a _very _busy woman and I can't be spending all of my time trying to deal with _your_ issues. C'mon Ash, you are seventeen for Arceus' sake! Time to mature a little. Oh, and if you try anything against the guidelines I've established, I have guards stationed at every point in this building. They are all armed with tasers, so I highly recommend that you be the example of what a champion should be. I'll visit when I can and _no visitors allowed_! If you want something, anything, from outside, call the reception desk and they will get it for you. Not a step outside this room, Ketchum! _Not a step…_" Cynthia finished menacingly as she strolled out of the black and white colored door, which was also oddly decorated with diamonds, pearls, and a hint of platinum covering.

Ash and Pikachu both let out a depressingly childish sigh after the evident loss against the increasingly restricting rules of the "Cynthia Administration", as they so dubbed it from henceforth.

"_Well, since I'm here, I might as well get used to my 'new home' and see what the master suite has to offer to me." The young victor obnoxiously riveted to himself._

Ash decided to examine the living room first. At a glance, it seemed simply quaint; the room seemed to have mimicked something directly out of his home in Pallet Town. But on closer inspection, the room had far more to off than what anything his home in Pallet could dream to offer. There were different shades of colored buttons that each was designed to serve a purpose; the lilac one converted the homely-looking sofa into a state-of-the-art "massage and relax" throne chair, for example. Other notable gimmicks included a man-sized aquarium when the aquatic blue button was pressed, a deliciously wonderful scent that was imported into the air conditioning when the bubbly orange button was pressed, and the ability to grow any type of plant or berry with a push of the safari green button. While the buttons were enjoyable and all, there were simply too many to test all at once.

"_While this place lacks the wonders of home, it sure comes packed with its own awesome technology! I could get used to this place…"_

Pikachu nodded in agreement to Ash's thoughts. While Pikachu was no psychic, it could certainly tell what and when its trainer is thinking.

"_Well now, let's take a look at that bathroom…GOLD AND SILVER PLATED TOILET WITH A CRYSTAL FLUSH HANDLE! When it comes down to it, they sure know how to treat a guy! I wonder if my bed has ruby, sapphire, and emerald colored sheets? That would be…exotic!"_

As Ash continued to marvel at the hidden surprises of his master suite, Pikachu chose to perch itself on the gravely surface of the outside balcony. The Mouse Pokémon was not one to be overly sentimental, yet even it could not help but reminisce the past and how they managed to make it so far. When Pikachu was first traveling with Ash, the Mouse Pokémon couldn't stand the thought of being commanded by a human, which by nature hold no unique physical or mental powers. Upon further examination, they yellow mouse almost had a sort of "Mewtwo" complex of how Pokémon should be the dominant species and not disgustingly low _humans_. The very degrading _fact _that it was captured by an elderly professor did not help rectify the personal belief of this uncooperative Pokémon. Ultimately, the foundation of the relationship between Ash and Pikachu was less than first-rate. However, the "Spearow Incident" that took place shortly after the struggles between trainer and Pokémon was the binding glue that forever connected the hearts and minds of the dynamic duo. That day, Pikachu made a blindingly clear commitment to assist this young "Ash" as they crossed over unknown territories and ventured into the majesty of what the Pokémon world had to offer. No longer would the two become enemies forcibly crushed together; rather, they would become an unbreakably strong unit of synergy, one that could take on the world and refuse to back out of the challenges that laid before it.

…and that is _exactly _what they did.

* * *

><p>"<em>Pikachu, hang in there! Use Thunderbolt once more!" Ash desperately commanded to the Mouse Pokémon. Ash knew time was wearing thin as the match between himself and the "Dragon Master" Lance of the Elite Four etched further and further into the streams of time. <em>

_Lance simply smirked as cockily as his twisted smile would allow his refined face. As the Dragon Master detected the hint of desperation in the commands of Ash, he ultimately decided to try to crush the young man's moral completely and arrogantly proclaimed, "Ash! You know as well as I do that your Pikachu's __**pathetic**__ electric type attacks will only tickle my unbeatable Dragonite! Many have tried to foolishly surpass the might of a dragon's power…only to be consumed by the rage of the beast! I will give you credit though; you have managed to get this far at least. You are by far one of the toughest opponents I have ever faced on this sacred terrain. But, your progress will end here! Dragonite, use Hyper Beam to finish off the pesky little __**rodent**__!"_

"_**GRRYOOO!**__"_

_As Pikachu panted from the excess amounts of spent energy against the beastly dragon type Pokémon, it forced its head to visually examine the opponent whom was gathering energy for one concluding blow. Through the constantly focusing and un-focusing eyes of the highly-fatigued Mouse Pokémon, the Dragonite appeared to have sustained a high amount of damage. This, however, did not stop the Dragon Pokémon from continuing to absorb increasingly ample amounts of power to form a deadly ray capable of pure destruction. As Lance's Dragonite was preoccupied with this task, Ash was stunned with awe and surprise to how the Pokémon managed to take the hits of most of his team and still have enough power to develop an attack with a power of such __**magnitude**__. The aspiring trainer then diverted his attention to his own Pokémon, a battle-drained Pikachu that looked like it had about as much electrical power as a used-up battery. Whatever possible routes to victory may have enlightened before seemed concealed by the suffocating bleakness of the current state of affairs. _

_Ash, on the other hand, was never known to give up in the middle of a battle, even during the most problematic of situations. His naïve confidence had cost him the match up to this point and he __**refused**__ to lose such a crucial match, especially to an arrogant champion like Lance! As the widely-televised battle seemed to showcase the end of the aspiring trainer's hard work, Ash closed his eyes and slowly placed his tense fingers on the outer rim of his trademark hat. With renewed vigor, he dramatically twisted the his hat to the back of his shirt, yanked open his eyes that were filled with a fire that no one could hope to ever contain, and shouted to his closest ally and friend, "Pikachu! Things may seem down, but never forget that we can always win! I don't care about the circumstances; let's win this damn match! WE'VE WORKED TOO HARD TO GIVE UP! WE WILL FIGHT BACK AND WIN!"_

"_Ah ha! So that is the famous vitality that people so heavily praise about you, Ketchum?" Lance scoffed nonchalantly. "Impressive, yet…I fear it will do you no good at this point. This match is over! Dragonite, finish this ridiculous spectacle and show the fans the __**no one**__ can topple the DRAGON MASTER LANCE!"_

"_**GYRRROOOOOOO!**__"_

"_Pikachu, let's do this!" the young trainer professionally and passionately exclaimed. "Go for broke and use the new technique we worked on. Counter-shield that Dragonite's Hyper Beam with Thunder!" _

_As Ash decided on the finishing move, both Lance and the audience was wondering what in the world a "counter-shield" could possibly be. And, if this unknown technique could actually defeat the overwhelming force of Dragonite's Hyper Beam. _

_Pikachu quickly gave a conformational nod to its respecting trainer and laid on the floor with its tiny paws outstretched along the rough terrain of the devastated field selected for this round. As Dragonite was placing the final bits of remaining power into the Hyper Beam, Pikachu simply waiting and relaxed on the ground, almost as if waiting for the destructive Hyper Beam to finish what the battle had started. As the Dragon Pokémon noticed the antics of the Mouse Pokémon, it felt rather sympathetic that it had to knock out a target that wasn't even going to __**try**__ to fight anymore. It just didn't seem very sportsmanship like, but Lance's orders were to be followed at all times, no matter the circumstance._

_Lance, in contrast to Ash's unusually serious composure, couldn't help but give a slight chuckle to the ideas…or rather, imprudent commands…of the naïve Pokémon trainer. Lance pointed to Ash and lightly said, "Well Ash, I will admit that I was rather interested in the 'counter-shield' phenomena that you ordered that rodent to perform. At least, until I saw that this command is nothing more than a term of surrender! Heh heh…Honestly Ash, if you wanted to forfeit the match, you could've just asked the referee, not try to desperately 'go out in style' in order to save whatever face you may still have with the public. I at least expected you to confront my Dragon Pokémon's Hyper Beam attack with an attack of your own, like your Pikachu's Thunder. Not that it would have made a bit of difference, but at least you would lose to me while trying instead of dramatically throwing in the cards! You are not fit to be a trainer if you can't stand up to the likes of a Dragon Master! TERMINATE THAT PIKACHU, DRAGONITE!"_

_At last, the energy required to fabricate the unrivaled power of Lance's Dragonite's Hyper Beam was successfully gathered. The purely white form of destruction resided in the antennas of the Dragon Pokémon, which caused the antennas to radiate with a blindingly intense shade of white. Dragonite knew that this was the end of the match; another challenger defeated in the end. It all had to come down to this, according to the confident dragon type Pokémon. With one final war cry, Dragonite unleashed the fury of a dragon's Hyper Beam attack. Thanks to the strict training regimen of Lance, this particular attack was doubled in size and power in comparison to the Hyper Beams of other dragon Pokémon. And needless to say, everybody knew that the original power of a non-trained Hyper Beam would be more and enough to finish the Pikachu lying tranquilly on the jagged battlefield._

_But of course, this Pikachu has __**other **__plans!_

_Ash's Pikachu mustered up the strength to start spinning around in circles. "Pika…PikaPika…PikaPikaPikaPikaPikaPikaPika!" came from the small dust shield that enveloped the powerfully spinning Mouse Pokémon. As Pikachu spun faster and faster, the Hyper Beam approached the yellow blur at an equally rapid velocity. The Hyper Beam closed in upon Pikachu until finally, when it was just on top of its target; Ash triumphantly pumped his tightly-gripped fist into the air and commanded:_

"_Pikachu! NOW!"_

* * *

><p>"Pikachu! Hey, what are you thinking about, buddy?"<p>

The electric type Pokémon snapped out of its reminiscent thoughts and turned its yellow body to meet the appearance of a young and powerfully distinguished champion with a red cap turned like it was in the match against Lance…and all of the other champion matches to follow. Pikachu smiled graciously and jumped from the balcony to the recently-converted massage chair. "Pika! Pi Pika Pi! Cha…"

Ash's grin took hold as he processed Pikachu's thoughts. "Oh…thinking about the championship match against Lance? Yeah, he was our first champion that we defeated…although certainly not our last! I would rank him on a scale of about eight out of ten, judging from my current skill level. Although at the time, he seemed more like a one hundred out of ten! Isn't that right, Pikachu?"

"Pika Pika!" the yellow Pokémon agreed as it relaxed and let the wonderful massage machine do what is was programmed to do. "Chaa…" it softly murmured as the chair began to vibrate. Ash couldn't help but laugh at the witnessing Pikachu's transformation from a kick-butt Pokémon to a silly little mouse Pokémon enjoying the pleasant things in this crazy adventure called life.

"Ya know Ash, I didn't fly all this way to be ignored by you. Champion of all the major regions or not, you are still the inconsiderate and _naïve_ kid I fought back a year ago."

Startled by the appearance of this vaguely familiar voice, Ash quickly spun around. Lo and behold, there was the "Dragon Master" of Kanto. None other than champion Lance had come to grace their presence at the balcony of Ash's hotel. Ash laughed rather nervously and asked Lance just how long he had been standing there.

Lance flashed a slight smirk and replied, "Oh, for awhile. And by the way, an eight outta ten is a bit low for my taste. How about you give me a _battle_ so that you can see just how _strong I've become!_"

"Ah ha-ha…there will be no need for that Lance. I just got back from barely managing to defeat Alder and to be quite honest, I could use a little rest and relaxation. And to be quite honest, I think that your strength as a 'Dragon Master' is scary enough to make me never want to challenge your title as champion ever again!" Ash concluded fearfully, hoping that that tidbit of information would give the Kanto Champion a reason to stop verbally attacking the recently-crowned champion of Unova.

"Hmph…I suppose that will suffice for now. Although another battle with you would be nice sometime down the road. I really want to gauge just how strong you have become." Lance replied excitedly, as if a chance to battle Ash would be one of his top priorities.

"Well, aside from wanting to battle me, is there any other reason you've come to visit my humble abode?" Ash queried humorously as Lance began to immediately scowl. "Or did you just miss me so much that you tracked me down on the back of an Aerodactyl?"

"Tch, don't get so full of yourself, Ketchum! I do have another reason for being forced to fly here." Lance hastily sneered back. "I was sent here by none other than Ms. Waterflower in order to deliver a note since she cannot reach you in any other method. I suggest you read in sooner rather than later."

"Why do you say that" Ash asked innocently while simultaneously experience a creeping fear, almost as if he was receiving a pink slip from a Pokémon company. Lance merely shrugged and looked at his violet-shaded watch.

"Look, I don't know. The girl stormed the Elite Four building and bypassed everybody until she made it to me. Then, she blushed violently as she thrust a tiny piece of paper into my hand, quietly whispered in my ear to promptly deliver it to you, told me that if I read it, she would 'rip out my lungs through my eye sockets.' Needless to say, I have no idea what the note says or what it could possibly mean. My two cents would be to just read the letter as soon as I fly off so what I can no longer have any business with _your _affairs.

"Now if you'll excuse me…" Lance started as he ordered his Fossil Pokémon to fly back to the Indigo Plateau. "…I have my own agenda to attend to…!"

And with that, he flew off into yellow and gold sun-setting sky. As the cries of Lance's Aerodactyl continued to grow faint, Ash's anticipation in opening the letter increased substantially; it had been a long time since he had been in contact with his long-time Cerulean companion. Once Ash was sure that Lance was far from _The Elites_, he hastily unfolded the note and began to scan over the neatly-written-in-cursive words that unmistakably belonged to Misty Waterflower. The lonely champion scanned over the contents of the note several times before he was able to recite it by memory.

"_Dear Ash, _

_You've done it once again. You've become the star that I always knew you would someday. You've matured so much, yet you're still only a little kid in my book. So don't get all high-and-mighty with me! Haha…so anyways, I…I never thought I would admit this to you…but I really miss you. I haven't seen you in forever…or talked to you…or anything, really. I know it's kinda trivial to be complaining. I mean, you have been busy being a champion of several regions. Just…don't let it get to your head, okay? Don't forget about the little people. Don't forget about me when all of the ladies come knocking down your door for...actually, you know, forget that last part. I don't really care; do whatever you want with your love life. If you ever want to talk to me, you know how to use a video phone. I hope to hear from you soon. Everybody is already missing you. See you in a month!_

_Love, _

_Misty."_

Ash looked at a nearby clock with a color of red, blue, and yellow fused together. It was only about six o'clock in the evening. Maybe Misty was still up…maybe he could catch her at the gym before she retired for the day.

"_Or should I wait to call her and contact everybody else first? My mom is definitely a priority and I should probably call Professor Oak next…then…ugh! Too much to think about!"_ Ash silently cried out as he changed into his Pikachu-polka dotted pajamas. _"Eh…I'll figure it out tomorrow and hit the hay early today. I'm too tired to deal with all of this at the moment."_

As Ash laid in this bed with Pikachu curled up beside him, he could only look towards an optimistic future where he was one step closer to becoming a Pokémon Master…

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter focuses on Ash and provides a set-up to the rest of the story. More regarding the "system" will be explained as the story progresses. Until next time, readers. Please review!<strong>


	2. Xavier: Ash's newest foe?

_Chapter 2_

_Another torrent of snow that was manufactured from a naturally occurring blizzard arrived at the doorsteps of Icirrus City. The unforgiving frost that infected the bitterly snow-driven city forced the unfortunate citizens of the surrounding area to close up shops of all kind and retreat to their warmly-awaiting homes. The snow-bound populace was well experienced with the likes of these occasional blizzards and figured that it would be over in a matter of hours, maybe four hours at the latest. But as that time prediction froze over, seeds of anxiousness began to bud inside the inhabitants of this chilly city. The citizens began to barricade their homes as a precaution to the unusually powerful weather; the slight knock of hammers forcing rusty nails into pieces of wood could be faintly heard as the wooden material was used to reinforce the doors of Icirrus' population. Even the ice type Gym Leader Brycen had to concede to this unpredictably cold conditions; he was forced to end a promising gym match against a young kid of twelve years. Brycen advised that the child rest in the gym until the storm blew over, lest he be killed by the deathly-cold blizzard upon long exposure to the elements. The kid agreed, and so Brycen's match would have to hold off until tomorrow._

_However, there was one store manager who specializes as a baker of delicious pastries. He had a recent order from a "very important" person and was asked to ship out that order as soon as possible. The money that the manager would receive for his talent would cover the costs of his store and set him up for a long and prosperous life; naturally, the store manager disregarded the dangerous weather conditions and made it a priority to deliver that order no matter what. _

_Interestingly enough, a customer entered his stored despite the weather conditions. Upon first glance, it appeared that the person had entered the store in order to __**escape **__the weather. But without a moment's hesitation, the store merchant aggressively explained to weary customer that he had to buy something to stay in here; if not, the person seeking refuge would have to unluckily venture back into the unforgiving snowstorm. After a moment's hesitation, the "customer" agreed. The manager duly noted that the customer seemed to have had a Rufflet on his shoulder, so the manager set out supplies that could be useful for a trainer like him. But as soon as the person arrived, they vanished into thin air without a single purchase. The baker shrugged and returned to his "important". But however hard the desperate baker looked, he couldn't locate the parcel that contained the order. And regrettably, that package required the baker to use up all of his remaining baking resources; he would be unable to recreate another order until the storm blew over. As this wild goose chase continued, the baker suddenly discovered the explanation to his predicament; he didn't accidentally misplace the package…it was __**stolen**__ with an "IOU", scribbled on a piece of paper, left on the floor… _

"_Hey stop, you damned thieving brat! Get back here so that I can knock some REAL sense into ya, ya crooked bandit! My merchandise to be bought only with genuineeee Unova currency, not a damn "IOU" scribbled on the back of a filthy excuse of a piece of paper! Hey…hey! DON'T YOU DARE MESS WITH ME, BOY!" _

_The heated tirade that spewed from the unpleasantly foul mouth of a local store merchant to whom his words were directly aimed to that of a young adult; a teenager, by the society's standards. While the vocabulary and terminology of the store manager were less than acceptable in the presence of children, the use of such heavy language was unfortunately justified during the relentless pursuit of his adolescent target. The barbaric fury that stemmed from the portly store manager was fueled by the actions of the quickly-tiring teenager and his quirky companion, the Eaglet Pokémon Rufflet. However tired he may become, the teenager heavily reminded himself that he needed this meal to provide the strength and energy to do what must be done to correct the wrongdoings that this world has committed. While the jump from this situation to that particular future may have been unrealistically far…_

"…_the ends __**more **__than justify the means…!" the heavily-breathing adolescent finished exhaustingly. He was running out of steam and for some odd reason, the portly manager continued his pursuit without slowing an inch! The teen strongly grimaced and shouted to his pursuer, "How can a fat man like you run so damn __**fast**__!"_

"_Just because I may seem like a fellow with girth to spare…" the man proudly began, lightly patting the source of his weight. "…that does not mean that I can catch a punk like you, especially with motivation to spare! That bread you stole was preordered by none of than the…"_

"_Tch. Honestly, I could care less about you or your preorders. As far as I am concerned, you are part of the 'system', just like everyone else…" the teen murmured, during which a scowl replaced the exhausted look that formerly plagued his facial features. The teen's Rufflet jumped from the shoulders of the weary young adult and proceeded to fly towards the store manager at a precariously increasing velocity, with an inferno that burned bright in its intensely black eyes. The possibility of attack seemed eminent; as the Pokémon approached the generously proportioned adult, a subtly growing fear rose from the depths of the man's inner senses._

"_Wait…wait, what are you doing!" the man fearfully demanded as his bounding steps slowed to an abrupt halt. He could see the intent of his inexplicably barmy trainer as the Rufflet approached his round-ish being. "You wouldn't dare…!"_

"_Rufflet…" the teenager called out; a hint of aggression and desperation were present in the commanding stature of his voice. "…use Brave Bird!"_

"_**RRRAAAAAAAAA!**__"_

"_AAAUUUGH!" _

"_HEEEELP! Somebody…please…?"_

_The teenager's ears could faintly detect a cry for help amidst the deafening roar of the ongoing blizzard. Despite wearing thickly-wool clothes and boots, the adolescent figured that the cold was probably causing him to imagine voices. _

_Nevertheless, the young man was not one to ignore a cry for help, even if it may have been imagined. "Rufflet, Halt your attack on the overweight baker!" the trainer hurriedly ordered, glancing around to see where that plea for assistance originated from._

"_Raaaa?" the bird responded confusedly. While it didn't make sense to halt the attack inches away from its target, the Rufflet nonetheless canceled its attack and allowed the chubby man to escape with his well-being. The man scrambled to his feet and sprinted away, crying out, "You are one crazy sonofabit…!"The rest of the sentence was drowned up by the vociferous blizzard. _

"_Tch…what a nuisance." The teenager whispered under his breath. However, the baker was no longer his primary concern. "Rufflet, scout out and see if you find anybody or any Pokémon in this Arceus-forsaken weather! Look for anything that is out of place or seems damaged!" the adolescent piercingly shouted to his loyal companion. He knew that whatever called for help had to be nearby…and that it didn't have much time to be found if it was going to live._

_Several minutes passed until the faint cry of a weather-wearied Rufflet made its way to its anxious trainer. Upon discovery of Rufflet's location, the snow-covered trainer hiked his way to what appeared to be a lump of snow, presumably something covered by snowfall. Judging by the amount of snow on the lump, whatever it was that was in there had been there for awhile. _

"_I guess this is the thing that we were looking for" the teen tiredly pondered, his legs aching from the running and the constant attempt to walk in deep snow. "I suppose that it is time to find out! Rufflet, use Air Slash to clear the snow!"_

_The trainer's Rufflet quickly complied. After harnessing a sufficient amount of wind energy from the powerful gales of the snowstorm, the Eaglet Pokémon swiped its wings at the snow pile and, blow by blow, removed the encasement of snow from whatever lied beneath it. Interestingly enough, that thing that called for help was certainly not a human, but a __**Pokémon**__. _

"_How is that possible? The only Pokémon that are known to actually communicate with mankind are extremely advanced psychic types. This one looks more like a fire type than anything else. Strange…I've never seen this kind of Pokémon before, even in all of my travels." The trainer heavily contemplated. But suddenly, he shook his head to clear his thoughts of such trivial matters. "I can't be bothered with that now! I have to tend to this injured Pokémon! It doesn't look good…maybe I can just…"_

_The adolescent trainer reached into his knapsack and pulled out a single Full Restore._

"_This should do it. I hoped that I could've saved it for Rufflet, but I sense that it would be much more needed here…"_

_After applying the spray to several areas of serious wounding, the injuries began to heal at a breathtakingly swift rate. Soon, the Pokémon looked fresh and fit for whatever lies ahead. On the other hand, it remained as unconscious as when the Rufflet discovered it._

"_C'mon, c'mon!" the teen silently urged the unmoving Pokémon. "You gotta pull through! Wake up!"_

_As the last syllables of the trainer's words were spoken, the eyes of the formerly-injured Pokémon unexpectedly snapped open. As soon as the mysterious Pokémon soaked in a good image of what their savior looked like, it suddenly vanished into thin, snowy air, leaving the roar of the blizzard to be the main attraction once again. The trainer stood up, shocked at the sudden disappearance of this peculiar Pokémon. _

"_That was strange, huh Rufflet?" the trainer slowly remarked. Neither he nor his Rufflet knew exactly what happened._

"_**Thank you, kind sir~"**_

"_Huh? Who is that?" the trainer cried out to the sky, swiveling his head left and right in order to determine the source of that voice. "It's you again, but I can't see you. Who are you?"_

"_**The Pokémon you just saved, naturally. I was the one who called for your assistance.**__" The voice earnestly replied back. "__**I had the misfortune of straying too far away from my home and ended up here at the worst of times. My power weakens when I am away from my home, and I was overwhelmed by another powerful Pokémon. Combined with the intense blizzard, I was helpless in defending myself. However, how I ended up here is not the important thing. The important thing is that I am still alive…and that you will get your reward.**__"_

"_Reward? No offense, but I doubt you can do anything for me at this point in my life." The trainer scoffed as his Rufflet perched on his left shoulder. "All I have and need is my buddy, Rufflet."_

"_**I'm sure that I can help in some way. I am the legendary Pokémon Victini, the Victory Pokémon.**__"_

"_Wait…you are a legendary Pokémon!"_

_A bright beam of white light pierced the sky, which shown on the trainer and his Rufflet. _

"_**I will give you two special rewards… and I'll let you figure them out! Until we meet again~!**__"_

_The beam continued to grow stronger and stronger in power until the brightest light in the world seemed dim compared to it. The light consumed the vision of the trainer when, suddenly, it went pitch black… _

* * *

><p>"Huh…memories can be a funny thing…sometimes, at least. It's interesting, to say the least. That was my last encounter with any sort of human being in the last<em> year<em>. I must admit to myself, choosing to live outside the parameters of the 'system' is a wonderful thing indeed."

The young man of seventeen years, who was previously hanging in the beautifully olive treetops, acrobatically leaped from the top of the magnificently mature oak and swung from branch to branch until his powerfully-developed feet made heavy contact with the softly morose ground. After bending his usually-locked knees in order to effectively absorb the impact of the fall, he straightened himself to reveal his height of five feet and ten inches. While his height made him seem smaller, he established a very commanding presence to the environment, which in turn respected the young man; small Pokémon that hardly knew this strangely intimidating teenager were abnormally cautious to come within reach of him. His body, due to the trials and tribulations of traveling in the harsh world of Unova, was forced to develop strong muscles in all of the important features of his body; his legs, arms, chest, and back were all powerfully built during his time of travel. Combined with his height, this seemed like a bit of an odd mix, but yet it suited this teenager in particular. His unshaven and messy black hair tended to overshadow his warmly-aqua blue eyes, yet he did not mind. It was the brilliance of the natural human body that had him convinced to even _enjoy_ the fact that he was unkempt. It was the fact that his body could operate on its own agenda that he so _loved_. It was the way that nature moves, when uninhibited by the general population that worked with the "system", that he so _admired_.

"I have shed my old life of oppression and misery. I now go by the name of 'Xavier'. I no longer have to clash with my own kind in order to survive on this vindictive planet. All I have to do it play a smarter game…and divest the world of the very 'system' that caused me pain and misery. This is who I am…" Xavier mused to himself.

The seventeen year old slowly twirled around; his arms outstretched as if to symbolize the way leaves gently forsake even the youngest of oak trees. With his naturally-stunning view of the forest surroundings, Xavier felt as if nature should return to be the dominant force of the Pokémon world; humanity corrupted much of forest life.

Despite the young man's spite towards the bumbling prospects of mankind, he felt no extreme ill-will towards their persona; he was not an extremist and didn't believe in exterminating people in the name of his own ideals. Xavier did have one major problem with the Pokémon world however…one that would ultimately result in the clash between himself and the Pokémon League. Of course, the Pokémon League was only one branch of the "system", but it was also a crucial branch.

"_Once I take out the Pokémon League, I'll work my way up the food chain and head for the big boss himself. From there, I will rid the 'system' that had ruined my life…and the lives of so many others…" _Xavier recounted, determining that this was at least the thousandth time he had listed his goals. They were simple, but effective. In addition, he had all of the right tools to accomplish this lifelong objective; his Pokémon team was unbeatable. Of course, his Pokémon have also never battled an actual trainer before, considering he lost contact with humanity awhile ago. The fact that his team had never fought in an official match, however, was trivial to his cause, according to the confident young adult.

"Lucky you, Mr. Ketchum…" the trainer laughed sarcastically. He quickly glanced at his belt, which was full of his six Pokémon. "You will be the first to witness at least _one _of my Pokémon. I will show you just one error of your precious 'system'…and that error was giving you the title of World Champion!"

Xavier promptly plucked out one of his oldest Pokéball and twirled in on the tip his callused index finger. From there, he tossed it a bit into the air and snatched it in midair. He pressed a button on the round capsule device and caused it to expand. A look of seriousness immediately replaced his passive demeanor as he called out to his trusty Pokémon.

"Braviary, attention!"

He tossed the machine far above the ground. Soon afterwards, it radiated a bright light into the teal-colored sky. From the light, a form of an eagle began to take shape. As the light condensed, the form took a definitive shape of the Valiant Pokémon Braviary.

"GYRRAA!" the proud Pokémon cried out. It soared towards the ground at incredible speeds until it gracefully landed on the ground. The Valiant Pokémon flexed its powerfully-developed wings while stretching all of his muscles in order to prepare for flight. It had not been called out in awhile and despite its serious manifestation, it enjoyed goofing off in the sky at occasions. Never in combat, of course.

"Hup!" grunted the young trainer as he climbed aboard his Braviary's back. "Let's go, Braviary! Onto Pallet Town!" he commanded without delay. The eagle nodded in confirmation and pushed off the ground with an inconceivable amount of power. As it stabilized itself in the air, the bird began to soar towards its destination as quickly as it could without throwing off its trainer.

"_Alright, it's time to test the might of the system's 'World Champion'!"_

* * *

><p><strong>While this chapter consisted mainly of a memory, that particular memory is key to how the story of Xavier will unfold. This chapter also establishes another rival to which Ash must contend with. Xavier, in a sense, represents the might of the common people who are oppressed by the government, which is a reference to our world as we know it. Ash represents the wealth of a society and the power that arises from the best of materials. The "system" will continue to be further elaborated as the story progresses. Until next time, it would make me a very happy person to receive reviews!<strong>


	3. The Meeting

**NekuSuzume, Nauran, and xXRose-the-MagicatXx: Thank you for taking the time and consideration to leave your reviews. I enjoy receiving them immensely and wanted to personally recognize your actions. Once again, thank you. **

**To the rest of my readers: Thank you for reading this much. Knowing that someone is interested in my story is very motivational. So please, enjoy.**

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><p><em><span>Chapter 3<span>_

"So…much…_walking_…"

The childish groaning came from none other than the "famous" World Champion Ash Ketchum. Recently, Ash was discharged from _The Elites_ and was requested by friend and family alike to return to him hometown after a month of near solitude. While Ash had plenty of time to communicate with his peers via video phone, the young champion refrained from speaking about his new lifestyle or about what the future had in store for him. He decided to keep the most select details retained his mind until he successfully ventured out to Pallet Town. When the Elite Four of Unova offered to fly him to out to Pallet Town on a private airline, he quickly declined and confidently claimed that he would much rather enjoy adventuring to his destination. This, however, was quickly becoming a bother to him…

"I guess this is what living in the lap of luxury will do to a guy, huh Pikachu?" Ash weakly laughed to his yellow traveling partner. The Mouse Pokémon, while it preferred to be on the strengthened shoulders of its carefree trainer, opted to walk closely alongside.

"Pika…pika…" Pikachu wholeheartedly agreed, its little paws becoming sore after walking for nine consecutive hours. This Pokémon may be extremely powerful in combat, but it was still a Pokémon through and through. And as such, Pokémon get tired after walking for nine hours.

At the moment, the weary young champion and his Pikachu were nearing their hometown, Pallet Town. As they traveled down route one, Ash couldn't help but smile at the reminiscent memories that were harbored in this particular route. Most notably would be the frightening "Spearow Incident", which is arguably the most important time of Ash's career as a Pokémon trainer. Who knows how things could've gone if Pikachu and he hadn't solidified a lifelong bond so early? This humble route was also, naturally, the first step towards him becoming what he is today. This essential path was the secondary foundation to his whole life as a Pokémon trainer; the first was, obviously, his affectionate mother and the amiable atmosphere of Pallet Town. Throughout his six years of travel, Pallet Town was the only location he could recall that hadn't undergone any major changes. Some improvements here and there, but it was the same old Pallet Town that he fostered his childhood in.

"_It's fascinating how large Pallet Town seemed to me when I was just a kid!"_ Ash contentedly reflected. "_Now Pallet Town seems so insignificant compared to the places I'm been and seen. But at the same time…I owe all of my success to my early community! So, in a sense, Pallet Town is one of the most significant locations I've ever been…"_

Ash continued his stroll down this historic route as his mind wandered through the vast torrent of memories. While Ash was far from being a sentimentalist, even he could appreciate the wonders of history…especially if they were his own. As his fond memories began to recede into the depths of his subterranean subconscious, the adolescent champion started to survey his environment. When he originally left Pallet Town, he made a mental note to imprint an exact duplicate of what the forest looked like so that when he returned, he could see if it changed while he was out traveling. As the young man glanced around, he inwardly smiled at the fact that almost nothing had changed. The only changes to this comforting forest were that the plants and trees that had already been there had well-matured, and new flora seasonally blossomed as the lovely spring brought about a deliciously fresh beginning.

"_If you really think about it, route one kinda represents me and my travels…my growth as an individual._"Ash silently considered, slightly increasing his pace in order to get to his destination faster. He was anxious to be home and be able to hug his mother once again. "_The trees here used to be younger, inexperienced, and new to the world to which they were born. As they weathered trials and tribulations, they grew remarkably powerful as a group. Now, their strength is for all to see. We have a lot in common, trees…"_

"Pika Pikachu!" Ash's companion cried out excitedly. It suddenly sprinted further down the grassland path and stopped to hastily point in the direction it was running. "Pika Pi!"

"That's the exit, Pikachu?" Ash eagerly queried as he dashed towards Pikachu. "We're almost home! **YAHOO**!" he yelled triumphantly as his partner and he raced to the exit of the memory-filled route one and, finally, into his modest hometown.

Ash had never been so happy to see that his hometown was just as prosperous as it had always been. There were still only about a few houses and, of course, the professor's Pokémon research facility. However, there had been some commercial additions as well. A miniature market had set up a business alongside the trees that surrounded Pallet Town while a movie theater had taken its place the small path of water that led out of Pallet Town and into the waters of Cinnabar Island. But other than those two additions, there was nothing out of the ordinary in Ash's hometown. The people who lived here six years ago still lived here, granted that they did age accordingly. Ash could see that some adults even had children as he saw the children running around, playfully interacting with each other.

"Well Pikachu, isn't this the same old Pallet Town?"

"Pika!"

"Heh…I suppose some things never really change." Ash lightheartedly responded to his yellow buddy. "Hey, I wonder if my mom threw us a huge surprise party. What do you think, Pikachu?"

"Pi…pika pika."

"Yeah, I hope so too. It would be totally awesome to see all of my friends at once again. I guess we will just have to see once we get there, huh?"

"Pika Pikachu!"

As Ash continued to stride towards his home, he began to notice the townsfolk had started to realize who he was. They excitedly whispered amongst themselves as Ash and his Pikachu began to slow their stride just-a-hair slower in order to try to pick up on what the people could possibly be saying. Eventually, a small boy who was murmuring to his mom dashed away from her and ran right up to the young world champion. The boy panted from dash but quickly recovered once he noticed that Ash was looking at him. The boy, who was previously had a determined persona, presented a shy personality as he hesitantly glanced at the teenage Pokémon trainer. Ash couldn't help but give a slight chuckle as he addressed the youngster.

"Well, hi-ya! I'm Ash Ketchum and this is my buddy Pikachu." Ash happily introduced, pointing towards the Mouse Pokémon to signal Pikachu to introduce itself. "Pika Pika!" Pikachu merrily introduced. Ash and Pikachu stuck out their hand and paw, respectively, to the aspiring youngster. The kid quickly grabbed both the hand and the paw and began to shake them breathlessly.

"What an honor…" the kid earnestly replied. The young kid then recovered his determined persona as he introduced, "My name is Alexander. You are the world champion Ash, right? And this is your super-awesome Pikachu! You are amazing!"

"Well, thank you Alexander." Ash replied as he graciously received the kid's compliment. But, you don't have to call me world champion; I'm just Ash Ketchum, Pokémon trainer! And plus, it was my Pokémon that did all the work. They are the real world champions."

As Ash wrapped his miniature speech, a faint round of applause was emitted within the calm atmosphere of Pallet Town. The eavesdropping citizens acceptingly applauded Ash and his maturity to recognize his Pokémon's importance. Alexander's mother hurriedly walked up to Ash and then swiftly scooted her child closely behind her, all the while giving the Pokémon trainer a beaming smile.

"It's nice to know that some things never change, Ash." Alexander's mother merrily commented, studying Ash's facial features. "You may have aged, but you are still the like the boy who left when he was ten years old. We were a little worried that the fame you received from becoming the world champion had gone to your head. You may be sweet and goodhearted, but that doesn't mean that your recklessness couldn't have led you into a pompous direction when combined with the eminence. It's nice to know that you are still aware of your humble roots."

The adolescent gave a small chuckle as he replied, "Well, fame has never been that big of a problem with me. I'll start acting arrogant when I'm sure that no one can beat me in a match ever again. With regard to that, I'm sure that there are many trainers itching to throw me off my recently-acquired pedestal, all which I'm sure are _exceptionally_ powerful. I'll have to be on guard while also taking charge of my champion-like responsibilities."

The mother gave her own chuckle to Ash's last statement. "Ash, if I recall, you aren't exactly the most _responsible_ person I've known. Unless, of course, this has changed throughout your journeys." She said while bringing fond memories back into her mind. "Well Ash, has it?"

"I have grown as an individual; give me a break!" Ash jokingly retorted. "Granted, not by a whole _lot_, but…you get the idea…"

As the banter between them continued to unfold, Ash realized just how much this cheerful woman knew about him. Apparently, she and his mother had become friends as during the time that Delia Ketchum, Ash's mother, was pregnant with Ash. Alexander's mom, known as Sarah Burkhart, was also Delia's main source of comfort during which the time where Ash's father had gone on his own journey.

"It was so hard for your mother; his sudden decision was created a fathomlessly deep hole in your mother's heart. Granted, she never shows it, but…" Sarah trailed off as she glanced at her watch. The diamond-encrusted jewel of a watch reported that it was three o'clock in the afternoon. She gave a slight gasped and bowed as she said, "Goodness! We've been talking for three hours! My apologies…I bet that you are looking forward to being at home once again. I don't mean to take up all of your time."

Ash waved off her sentiments and replied, "It is fine. I enjoy talking to people, especially ones that can relate to me." As he finished, Ash's yellow companion returned to its rightful position on Ash's shoulders. Pikachu gave a quick smile to Alexander's mother before hopping back onto the russet-colored ground.

Pikachu began tugging at the hems of Ash's azure jeans as it impatiently exclaimed, "Pika! Pi Pikachu!"

"Okay, okay!" Ash hurriedly retorted, expressing amusement towards his Pokémon's actions. "Well, I best be off. My mom is probably cooking me something delicious for dinner and I don't want it to get cold! I'll see you later, Mrs. Burkhart!" Ash shouted, walking off in the general direction of where his house was located. He waved towards Mrs. Burkhart as she politely returned his actions. Alexander, loaded with the energy of meeting such a renowned Pokémon trainer, began bragging to his friends about meeting "THE" Ash Ketchum. That swanking-session was quickly cut short as Mrs. Burkhart yanked on the poor boy's ear and dragged him inside her house. Ash couldn't help but chuckle at the bizarre events that unfolded behind him and Pikachu.

"_To be honest, I would have done the exact same thing had someone of my reputation visited this quaint town._" Ash humorously reflected as his began to recall additional moments of his past.

Ash continued to stroll through his hometown, quietly taking mental notes of he should do once he settled into his home for the next month. After this month was over, he was to return to the Kanto Pokémon League and attend a conference that was taking place there. Apparently, it would be his official induction into a seat for the Pokémon World Government, or PWG for short. The Pokémon World Government overseas everything that goes on in the hustle-and-bustle of the Pokémon world. The officials of this particular government know everything there is to know about the world they live in; they also make sure that people don't tamper with the delicate balance between Pokémon and humanity.

"…and it will soon become my responsibility as well…"

"Pika!"

Ash snapped out of his thoughts and gazed towards the building that Pikachu was excitedly sprinting towards. Upon further reflection, Ash realized that this was none other than his very own home. He was home!"

"I'm…home? …I'm home!" The young champion ecstatically burst out. The seventeen-year old reminiscently twisted his cap and followed Pikachu's example of sprinting towards his beloved home.

"Mom! I'm home! Where's dinner!" Ash jokingly demanded. He waited for the confetti to fall, for the people to rush towards him and congratulate him on his success in the Pokémon League, for everything to be happy, joyous, and bright! However, the house was abnormally quiet; not a single whisper graced the presence of this house. Ash's dazzling smile slowly faded into a slight frown. Where was everybody?

"Maybe my mom and others are in a different room…"

But no matter how hard the young ward and his Pikachu looked, there was not a single soul present near this house. The whole house seemed to be devoid of all life, save for various plants and, of course, the champion and his Pikachu.

"Where is everybody? Even if there isn't a party, my mom and Mr. Mime should still be here. And if my mom is not here, then Mr. Mime should still be here! He **never** leaves this house!" Ash hesitantly pondered. Ash knew that something was terribly amiss here, yet he could not put his finger on what it could possibly be.

"Tsk. Well Pikachu, I guess we will have to wait and see what happens, huh?"

"Pika pi…" the Mouse Pokémon reluctantly agreed. Pikachu also knew that something wasn't right with this scenario. Its Pokémon-like senses could detect that Mr. Mime was close to this house, possibly even in it. Unfortunately, Mr. Mime could not be found anywhere, despite the keenest searching by the yellow Pokémon.

Ash sat on the living room couch and began to think of the potential solutions to this troubling dilemma when, amidst the quiet sanctity of this home, a voice quietly protruded from the kitchen.

"First rule of being well-known: Everybody you know is at risk of being in danger. You should know that by now, _champion_. " the voice scoffed with a hint of disgust emphasized on the last word. Ash shockingly stood up and cautiously replied, "Who are you?"

"_Tch_. I harbor no ill-will towards you Ketchum…or towards your family and friends. But, I'm afraid that they have become an intricate piece to my orchestra of plans." The voice replied, dismissing the question of identity. "And you…are standing in my way. Figuratively speaking, in case you didn't catch that."

"For someone who has nothing against me, you don't seem that friendly." Ash quickly snapped back, slowly inching towards the entrance to the kitchen door where he may catch sight of this mysterious person. Pikachu remained on top of the couch where it discharged ample amounts of electricity, just in case it needed to attack.

"It's nothing personal, I _assure _you." The voice politely replied. "By the way, you can stop inching towards the door. You aren't exactly a ninja; I can see you from inside here. If you want to know who I am, then allow me…"

Ash stopped his advances as a slight wave of embarrassment washed over his expression. As the young champion retreated back a few steps back, Ash could see the outline of the person as that person calmly strolled out of the kitchen. Once that person was fully in light of Ash's vision, the person slowly stated, "I am Xavier. You don't know me, but I know all about you, _champion_. Your damn _system _has forever changed my life and the many lives of others…and not in a positive light, I promise you."

Ash gave an inquisitive look towards Xavier and asked, "System? What 'system' are you talking about?"

Xavier snorted and scoffed, "I wouldn't expect you to know yet. You've only just recently been inducted as world champion, correct? When you attend that Kanto conference, you'll shortly see what I am talking about. And unfortunately, you will collaborate with them. They all do in the end…"

There was a flash of silence that engulfed the entire atmosphere of the room after Xavier's sentence trailed off suddenly. Ash and this similarly-aged young man sized up each other, almost as if to gauge the probability of how difficult it would be to defeat the other. At this point, Pikachu was no longer generating electricity, but carefully eyed Xavier. The silence had become unbearably overwhelming when Ash decided to break the swallowing monotony.

"Xavier, I don't know what you are talking about. But to be quite honest, I don't really care at the moment. What did you to my family and friends?" Ash harshly demanded. When his friends are at stake, Ash knew that playing games was out of the question. What could have happened to everyone? His mom, his friends…even Misty…?

Xavier gave a quick shrug and said, "They are perfectly alright, if that is what you are wondering. I'm just providing an incentive to make sure that you do your very best in what I am about to request next."

Ash paused for a second and calmly said, "Alright, what do you want? Money? Power?"

Xavier slightly chuckled as he waved off Ash's offers. "No, no, no…something far more 'up-your-alley'. How about…a Pokémon battle?"

Ash's frustration towards this mysterious person suddenly vanished. "You want…a battle?" Ash inquired, obviously surprised at the request. "You didn't have to kidnap my friends and family in order to get a battle!"

"I know, but I want you to do your best. And what better motivation can be provided?" Xavier rhetorically asked. "So…what do you _say_? Do we have a deal?"

Ash considered the teenager's "deal". On one hand, it could all be a set-up for something else based on the personality of this guy. On the other, Ash didn't know where his loved ones were and he couldn't bear to let anything happen to them because of him. He had to at least try…

"Fine." Ash aversely agreed. "Meet me at route one. There is a gigantic clearing off the road where we can battle without intrusion. However, you must free my friends and family after this match!"

"If you win, of course I will adhere to your request." Xavier commented as he walked through the door of Ketchum residence, looking forward to the match that lied in the near future. As Xavier could be seen entering route one, Ash was left to his thoughts on what just happened. Regardless of what Ash could come up with, he nonetheless grabbed his strongest and most powerful Pokémon and began to walk out the door.

"Well Pikachu, are you ready for this?"

"Pika Pikachu!"

"_Pikachu can sense it too." _Ash thought to himself as he exited his house. With Pikachu resting on the shoulders of this young champion, Ash continued, "_This guy is…unusual from any other trainer I've ever known. He seems…extraordinarily strong."_

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><p><strong>Happy 4<strong>**th**** of July everyone! I hope that you all enjoy/enjoyed whatever festivities you may have attended. This chapter was fun to write; I especially enjoyed Xavier's entrance. The battle between these two will be central to the plot and provide a reference throughout the rest of this story, so don't miss it! Thank you for reading this far; hopefully I can get to at least 8 reviews before the next chapter. It would mean a lot! Until next time~**


	4. Ash vs Xavier

_Chapter 4_

"The stage is set, _world champion_" a mocking voice rang out from across the grassy battlefield.

Ash's opponent swiftly snatched a pokéball from his richly-black trainer belt and expanded it without missing a beat. Carefully eyeing Ash, Xavier arrogantly launched his first choice into the clear blue sky. The time-weathered ball flashily released Xavier's first choice, which pleasantly surprised the young champion and his yellow partner.

"Butterfree, attention!" came the swift command from the dominant voice of Xavier. His Butterfree soared high into the air before diving down towards the hard, unforgiving soil. Naturally, it pulled up at the last possible second and hovered mere inches above the ground before softly planting itself on the compact turf.

"A…_Butterfree_? You are going to challenge me with a _Butterfree_?" Ash skeptically queried his opponent. Ash silently laughed at the notion that he had thought this trainer was strong. "_Apparently, this guy just got finished training a Metapod in the Viridian Forest._" The teenage champion humorously mused. Ash's attitude grew infectious as it leeched onto Pikachu's persona. In all of the difficult battles, deadly trials, and painful tribulations, it seemed that facing a Butterfree was a joke put on by Xavier.

"Pi! Pika Pi!" the yellow Mouse Pokémon a cackled as it rolled on the ground, rendered helpless by the comicality of this absurd choice by Xavier. Normally, Pikachu and Ash would have the utmost respect for any strangers or acquaintances that challenged them, with exceptions to malevolent organizations like Team Rocket. However, the dramatic build-up that resulted between Ash and Xavier's miniature conversation seemed to fall short of the expectations of Ash and his Pikachu.

Xavier, however, was not fazed by the antics of his immature opponent. "Laugh all you want, Ketchum. There is not a single Pokémon on your team that can defeat even _one _of mine! If you don't believe me, send out your first choice and I'll show you…"

Still skeptical, Ash tossed his pokéball into air and called out, "Squirtle, I choose you!"

A radiantly white beam of light conformed into the shape of Ash's Squirtle. Once the Tiny Turtle Pokémon completely materialized, anxious determination was present on the expression of this Squirtle. The Pokémon knew that this was an important battle and, from what it heard within the confines of the pokéball, this one was going to be fairly simple, especially against a Butterfree.

"Squirtle, squirt?" Ash's partner murmured in confusion. For such a high-stakes battle, it seemed strange that this kidnapper would use such a weak Pokémon to start off the match.

"C'mon Squirtle, let's show him what we can do!" Ash encouragingly shouted across the field. "I want to beat him before dinner so that my mom can make me some food!" As if on cue, Ash's stomach emitted an audible growl that seemed to have rung throughout the field; upon hearing this, Ash and his Pokémon started to chuckle amongst each other. This may have been a serious match, but that could not change the personality of Ash and co.

Across the field from Ash, Xavier snarled towards the young champion's antics. "I wouldn't be so _cocky _if I were you…" Xavier said as he twirled his Pokémon's pokéball. "Honestly, I was looking forward to this for quite some time. Show me what you got, Ketchum!"

"I'll do more than that! I'll wipe that smug smirk off your face!" Ash hotly retorted. "Now Squirtle, use Hydro Pump!"

The Tiny Turtle Pokémon, with an intense glare set on the opponent, quickly retreated back into the shell and fired off an incredibly potent Hydro Pump from the opening of the shell where the head was supposed to be. The power was so great that the recoil from the attack launched Squirtle into the air; expecting this, Squirtle came out of the shell and lightly landed on the battlefield. The Hydro Pump was quickly closing distance as Xavier readied his next command.

"_Tch_. Butterfree, blow those sprinkles away with a Gust attack!"

Ash was slightly taken aback at Xavier's interesting choice of a move. "_Gust isn't strong enough to blow away a Hydro Pump, no matter how powerful the Pokémon is. What is he doing?" _echoed the thoughts of the young champion. Ash brushed off his thoughts and rededicated his attention to the combat.

Despite Ash's prior thoughts, this Butterfree was no slouch. Xavier's Butterfree tightly pulled back its wings and thrust them forward, sending a deadly blast of wind to counteract the Hydro Pump. The wind cycle moved quickly as Xavier smiled and watched the events unfold. To Ash's surprise and dismay, Squirtle's Hydro Pump was successfully blasted away by the windy Gust attack, resulting in a light drizzle upon the battlefield from what remained of the attack.

"_How is that possible!" _Ash's thoughts raced through his mind. He couldn't comprehend what just happened, but he knew that he could not afford to give his opponent anymore chances to counter his attacks. "Squirtle, use Hydro Pump again, but with more force behind it!"

"Squirtle, Squirtle!" the Tiny Turtle Pokémon answered in response. Once again, it retreated into the shell and launched another Hydro Pump directly at Butterfree. The Butterfree looked upon the incoming attack lightly, giving Ash's Squirtle almost an amused look. Just as before, Xavier commanded another Gust attack, which provided the same results as the last clash.

"_I don't understand…a Butterfree cannot reach this level of raw power. What's this guy's secret?_" Ash inwardly reflected as he watched his Squirtle start to pant from the energy expended with those Hydro Pump attacks. "_I know Squirtle is giving his all out there…I guess we will have to try a combination attack!_"

"Ash Ketchum!"

Ash swiveled his head towards Xavier. "What is it?"

"Allow me to educate you…as I use this battle to explain why I'm even doing this in the first place." Xavier said, focusing his clear-cut eyes towards the young man across the field. "First and foremost, you are aware of the Pokémon World Government, correct?"

Ash gave his opponent a quizzical look due to the nature of the question. "Of course I know about it. Being a part of the P.W.G. is going to be my responsibility soon."

Xavier paused for a mere second, and then continued his train of thought. "Do you know about the actions of this particular organization?"

Ash slightly winced towards the end of Xavier's sentence. The Pokémon World Government, in his opinion, should not be affiliated with the same word that can describe all of the evil organizations that have ever existed, such as Team Rocket. However, Ash brushed it off and replied, "The Pokémon World Government ensures that the balance between humanity and Pokémon. They are pretty much the overseers of the world."

Xavier nodded towards Ash's last statement. "Yes, they are the overseers of this world. But you don't know them like I do, Ketchum. The prosperity, the peace, the joy…it's all a clever façade."

Xavier angrily clenched his fist fists, and then pointed accusingly at Ash. "They are a ruthless bunch when it comes down to it. They are will willing to sacrifice others in order to remain unharmed. They also have absolutely no problem depriving others in order to fulfill what they _think _should be fulfilled."

Xavier scowled at the last sentence in particular. "…in fact, I am one of the victims of that very last point! The Pokémon World Government controls everything, including resources. Many regions across land and sea are kept under the wraps due to their current pitiful state of existence! 'Keep the world ignorant and happy!' That is the mantra of this so-called government.

Ash looked on in terrible confusion as Xavier continued his tirade. "It's a terrible dictatorship that no one in the five major regions knows about!" he furiously finished, feeling sickened by merely discussing it.

"You are crazy! The Pokémon World Government ensures peace and harmony!" Ash immediately shouted in response.

"Oh trust me; I'm no conspiracy-theory lunatic. Far from it, actually…" Xavier cynically laughed, smoothing out the words of his sentence. "You'll see soon enough. I plan to expose the wrongdoings of this government and its insidious 'system' that warps the minds of so many ignorant citizens. Then, with the power bestowed upon me, I shall take my revenge on the malevolent officials who made my life a living hell!"

"_I've never heard of such nonsense in my entire life! This guy needs to be in some serious therapy. He's a danger to himself and to everybody around him._" Ash thought to himself.

"You probably still think I'm crazy. I can't change your mind; that much I know for sure. However, I can give you a fair warning." Xavier said, pointing to the adolescent champion.

"A warning?" Ash questioned, giving Pikachu a lost expression. Pikachu simply shrugged; it didn't know what Xavier meant either.

Xavier disregarded Ash's confusion and continued. "If you decide to stand in my way…that will mean that you stand for the very thing that I am after. This will, unfortunately, make you a target for my revenge list. Do we have a gentleman's understanding?"

"I can't say that I believe everything you've just said, but you seem to have a passion for what you want. That much…I can respect." Ash responded, giving his opponent a defiant look. "However…I cannot allow you to destroy the fine line between peace and order. I will defeat you, here and now!"

"Pika, pi!" Pikachu confidently agreed as it showed off some electrical sparks. Seeing this, Xavier simply gave a mere chuckle and shook his head in disappointment.

"If there was anyone who could see the light, I thought that it would be you, Ash." Xavier sadly replied. Suddenly, the young man stood tall and boldly shouted, "But if that's the case, let this match continue!"

The battlefield was starting to become more than just a high-stakes match; it was becoming the physical manifestation of the rivalry between these two powerful trainers. It seemed as though the wind began to intensify due to the radical clash between Xavier and Ash's silent standoff. The tension mounted until it seemed as if the air could be cut with butter knife…and that is when Ash decided to make the silence-breaking move.

"Squirtle, I know those Hydro Pumps require a lot of energy from you, but I also know that if anyone can do it, it's you! Quickly, use Hydro Spin!" Ash triumphantly commanded.

Xavier's raised his eyebrows in curiosity upon hearing Ash's order to Squirtle and began to muse what that attack could possibly be. "_Hydro Spin, huh? Sounds interesting, Mr. Ketchum…by all means, play your best cards."_

"Squirt!" Squirtle promptly acknowledged. It began to speedily sprint towards Butterfree as the Butterfly Pokémon looked on in naïve curiosity.

"Be ready for anything Butterfree!" Xavier commanded to the bug type Pokémon. He knew that he very well could've told Butterfree to dodge, but he had a feeling that it wouldn't have mattered. Butterfree nodded towards Xavier and braced itself for whatever might come from this small combatant.

After gaining enough speed, Squirtle leapt into the air and retracted into the shell. Once the Tiny Turtle Pokémon was fully inside the shell, it began to spin rapidly and shot for a direct beeline towards Butterfree.

Xavier couldn't help but feel somewhat baffled to as how this was the "Hydro Spin" Ash was talking about. "_This just looks like an ordinary Rapid Spin attack…hmm. I'd better not get careless, especially now!"_

"Now Squirtle! Do it!" Ash suddenly commanded to his trusty Squirtle.

Upon hearing Ash's voice, Squirtle began to randomly rotate the angle of the Rapid Spin attack so that the shell was no longer circularly spinning. Once it range, Squirtle jettisoned a Hydro Pump from all of the openings of the shell, which resulted in a Hydro Pump from all angles. The whole battlefield was starting to turn into mud by the showers of water that came from Squirtle's Hydro Spin; even the surrounding foliage began to drown under the amazing volumes of water coming from Squirtle.

Xavier decided now was the time to act. "Butterfree, blow it away!"

Butterfree tried to blow away the water, but when it came from all of those angles, that was much harder to do. The water also protected Squirtle from being affected from the wind that Butterfree was producing, which in turn allowed Squirtle to get closer and closer to Butterfree. Although the water blasts were weaker in power, due to the fact that their power was spread throughout all of the shell's openings, they still had a powerful effect on the Butterfly Pokémon. Eventually, Butterfree's wings became soaked with water and dropped to the ground like an anvil.

Squirtle landed on Xavier's side of the battlefield and looked back to see the effectiveness of this particular attack. Squirtle was pleased and gave a thumbs-up to Ash, who returned the thumbs-up. Noticing his Butterfree struggle to get airborne again, Xavier couldn't help but faintly admire Ash's tactic. He did not expect Ash to attack indirectly with such a high-powered water-type attack.

"_I guess he isn't an idiot when it comes to battling._"Xavier amusedly thought, giving his Butterfree an apologetic look. "_Sorry to do that to you, but I had to see what Hydro Spin was. Now I can rest easy…and I defeat this troublesome turtle!_

"That was smart of you, Mr. Ketchum." Xavier complimented to the young champion as he continued to watch his Butterfree use great effort to get back into the air. "You are well aware that a Butterfree with wet wings is a near-useless one. I suppose that I have underestimated you to a certain extent."

Ash promptly smirked and arrogantly proclaimed, "Of course I would know! I had a Butterfree too when I was starting out my journey as a Pokémon trainer. I know the ins and outs of a Butterfree's strengths and weaknesses."

"In that case, this will come as to no surprise to you." Xavier said as he saw his Butterfree rise to its feet. "My Butterfree doesn't need wings in order to be victorious! Butterfree, use Psychic!"

Butterfree's eyes glowed azure as it focused its energies towards Squirtle. Soon, Squirtle's body became surrounded in an ominous sapphire light and was slowly lifted off the ground and into the clear sky.

"Toss that turtle high in the sky and follow up with Hyper Beam!" Ash's opponent cried out victoriously. Xavier knew that this would finish the match instantly; Ash would experience a taste of just how powerful his Pokémon really were.

"Free, free!" Butterfree obediently responded.

"Don't let it control you Squirtle! Use Ice Beam at Butterfree!" Ash commanded quickly, anxious of how this match could turn out.

However, Squirtle was in no position to move. The Psychic grip on Squirtle was much too powerful to overcome, no matter how desperately Squirtle struggled. Ash could feel sweat starting to form, as if he was the one struggling; Ash had never seen a Psychic attack that could completely immobilize Squirtle like this, even against the most skilled of Psychic type Pokémon! The power that Xavier's Butterfree possessed rivaled that of his most powerful Pokémon.

"_This is bad…really bad!_ _Still, I can't give up hope yet!_" the young champion desperately thought. Despite the frantic circumstances, Ash had already come up of another plan. "Squirtle, wait out the attack!"

Xavier scoffed at Ash's command and crossed his arms disappointingly. "Throwing in the towel, are we? I thought that the champion would be a bit more of a challenge…shame. Butterfree, the stage is yours!"

"Freeee!" Butterfree cried out as it powered up Psychic to ready for the big hurl. Once completely powered up, Butterfree launched Squirtle into the air. Squirtle was still going upwards when Butterfree dropped the Psychic began to gather energy for a Hyper Beam attack within the antennas.

Waiting for this opportunity, Ash shouted, "Squirtle, use Hydro Pump and aim towards Butterfree!"

Squirtle, hearing Ash's command, fired off yet another Hydro Pump attack towards Butterfree. The recoil from the attack pushed Squirtle further into the sky by a generous amount while the attack gained momentum due to the planet's gravity.

"You made a huge mistake, Xavier!" Ash called out to his opponent. "Squirtle is now out of range of any attack that you can make. In addition, your Butterfree will have to stop charging to dodge or counter my Squirtle's Hydro Pump. That will leave your Butterfree wide open!"

To Ash's great surprise, Xavier flashed an arrogant grin and replied, "Oh, is that a fact? You underestimate my Pokémon's power! Butterfree, use Hyper Beam…NOW!"

Butterfree mimicked Xavier's confident attitude as it just finished charging the Hyper Beam. Upon hearing "NOW", Butterfree's antennas rocketed out a Hyper Beam attack. However, this Hyper Beam attack was not like any Hyper Beam that Ash had ever seen. It was… uncharacteristically narrow. It was like that of an Ice Beam attack but with a golden-brown color instead of bluish-white. It was nothing like the Hyper Beam Lance's Dragonite uses…or any Pokémon, for that matter.

"That is strange…what kind of Hyper Beam is that?" Ash said under his breath. "It doesn't look nearly strong enough to overcome Squirtle's Hydro Pump, let alone reach Squirtle…"

The Hyper Beam and Hydro Pump quickly closed the gap that separated Butterfree from Squirtle. Ash held his breath in anticipation, while Xavier crossed his arms and looked on, extremely confident in his Butterfree's attack. When it came down to appearance, it looked as if Hydro Pump would overcome Hyper Beam. But once the two attacks collided, a flash of steam appeared where the Hydro Pump had been, while the Hyper Beam continued to push its way towards its target. Butterfree's attack did not slow an inch after coming into contact with Squirtle's Hydro Pump; in fact, it almost seemed to have gained more power from the collision. Squirtle anticipated, at the most, a draw between the two attacks; what the Tiny Turtle Pokémon saw instead was a deadly beam of pure energy heading right for it. And since Squirtle was in midair, there was no possible way to dodge the attack.

"W-w-what!" Ash stammered in disbelief. "Squirtle, use Withdraw to protect yourself!"

Xavier laughed at the adolescent's incredulity and shouted, "It's useless, Ketchum! No shell or shield can block against this particular Hyper Beam!"

"_What does he mean by 'this particular Hyper Beam'?" _Ash suddenly pondered. Within seconds of Xavier's last statement, Ash unexpectedly felt a terrible feeling of what was going to happen next.

Butterfree's attack continued on course until it struck the outer shell of Squirtle. The contact made it seem like it would push the Tiny Turtle Pokémon away, but something even more unusual happened. From Ash's standpoint, the beam seemed to have gone _through _Squirtle's shell instead of blasting into it. The Hyper Beam seemed to have frozen Squirtle's shell in the air for a brief moment before the beam dissipated into thin air. After what seemed like an eternity, Ash's Pokémon began to plummet towards the ground.

"What…is this?" Ash questioned himself, clearly stupefied by the events that were unfolding in front of his very eyes. "This…Hyper Beam isn't supposed to do that!"

Overhearing Ash's amazement across the field, Xavier decided to clarify what made this Hyper Beam so deadly. "Oh Ash, as you can already tell, this Hyper Beam is anything but ordinary. I'm not one for theatrics, so I trained my Pokémon to strike quick and powerfully. Why bother having a gigantic and seizure-inducing Hyper Beam…when I can have a Hyper Beam, so concentrated in power, which can go through anything? This particular attack attacks not only the outer flesh of the Pokémon, but also the inner mechanisms. Like…oh, say…_the heart_. It probably doesn't help that your Squirtle's size was roughly the same size of the attack."

Ash could only stare in horror as he saw his unmoving Squirtle hastily descend to the unforgiving turf. Ash whipped out Squirtle's pokéball and tried to call the Pokémon back inside, but Squirtle was moving too quickly for Ash to get an accurate lock on.

_**CRACK!**_

A nasty cracking noise rang out from the center of the battlefield. Squirtle had landed on the back of the shell, which had prevented the Pokémon from suffering further injuries. But upon contact to the battleground, Squirtle's shell had begun to split. In a completely quiet arena, the only sounds that persisted were the slowly inevitable cracking of Squirtle's shell and the soft beating of Butterfree's now-dry wings against the stillness of the airy atmosphere. The battle between these two was clearly finished. Butterfree was, undoubtedly, the victor.

"…Squirtle?" Ash hesitantly called out, seeing if the Pokémon was still conscious…or even alive. Both trainers waited to see if Squirtle would move or make some sort of sound. Once it became clear that Squirtle wasn't going to wake up, Ash ran up to his Pokémon. "SQUIRTLE!"

Squirtle did not make a single sound as to indicate if whether it was still alive or not. It simply lied there, scorched by the burning intensity of Butterfree's Hyper Beam attack. Xavier pointed to what was left of the valiant water-type Pokémon and said, "This is what happens to those who stand in my way. I did not want to do this, but I had to make my point clear. I'm not joking around…and I will remove my opposition in the most 'effective' manor."

Xavier then looked at Ash to see how he would react. Ash looked defeated and unsure of how he should progress from here on out. Xavier shook his head in pity for Ash and said, "Recall your Pokémon. That shell will not continue to break inside the confines of the pokéball. Then, you can go to the Pokémon Center and have the nurse look at your Squirtle. Although by the looks of things, I wouldn't hope for a full recovery…"

"Squirtle…return."

A red beam of light engulfed Ash's Squirtle. As the pokéball pulled Squirtle back into its confines, Xavier sensed a new outbreak of calmness break out over Ash. Xavier expected the young champion to be furious, depressed, or even vengeful; what he got instead was a composed Ash, one that seemed to have aged several years in the past few moments. Ash walked back from the center of the battlegrounds back to his side. He looked at his yellow partner, who was currently sharing Ash's sense of calmness.

"Pikachu…it's your turn." Ash serenely told his yellow companion. According to Ash, he had to end this battle as soon as possible in order to get Squirtle some medical attention. The fastest way to do that was to send out his strongest Pokémon, Pikachu.

Pikachu took in a deep breath and assumed a battle stance, charging electrical energy in its sacks while waiting for Xavier's next choice. Xavier knew that Pikachu had to be Ash's strongest, so it was only fair that he play the same game.

"Ash…" Xavier called out. "I'm well aware that you intend to try to end this battle quickly, but you'll have no such luck. Butterfree, return!"

A subtle expression of surprise showed up on Ash's calm demeanor. Ash considered Butterfree to be one of Xavier's strongest Pokémon; what could he possibly have up his sleeve now?

Xavier placed Butterfree's ball back onto his belt and carefully selected another pokéball…one that seemed even older than Butterfree's. He enlarged the ball and tossed it into the air, saying, "Braviary, attention!"

The pokéball released Xavier's second choice, Braviary. The Valiant Pokémon did not imitate Butterfree's flying spectacle upon release; rather, the Pokémon simply landed on the ground and folded back its wings, waiting for orders from Xavier. Xavier looked upon Braviary with pride and said to Ash, "This is my most powerful Pokémon, Ash. If you truly are who you think, here is your one chance to prove it. Forget the six-on-six…this is the deciding match."

The atmosphere of the battle seemed calm…yet alert, rather than filled with nervous tension. Both the trainers and their Pokémon quietly waited for the right opportunity to strike. The wind rustled across some fallen leaves as these two trainers gauged the situation and clarified their thoughts.

"_I am what the 'system' has created. I stand for the people who cannot stand. My goal to wipe out this corruption shall be realized. The ends more than justifies the means…_"

"_I must save the people that mean the most to me. I…I can't let Squirtle's bravery be in vain! I will defeat this heartless trainer and continue to protect people from dangers like him!"_

"Pikachu, finish this!"

"Braviary, let's end this!"

* * *

><p><strong>Lot of work went into this chapter. I'm new at battling scenes, but trust me, I'll get better! Until next time, reviews would be most appreciated.<strong>


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